Window sash control mechanism



P 1943- E. F. WILEY WINDOW SASH CONTROL MECHANISM Filed May 27, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WILEY Wm E N m l A IN VEN TOR.

Patented Sept'. 28, 1943 UNITED STATE WINDOW SASH CONTROL MECHANISM Esmond F. Wiley, Berkeley, Calif., assignor to Universal Window Company, Berkeley, Calif., a corporation of California Application May 27, 1941, Serial No. 395,396

3 Claims. (01. 20-42) This invention relates to control mechanisms for window sashes and particularly to mechanism through which a plurality of awning type window sashes may be controlled by the manipulation of one of said sashes which is referred to as the control sash.

Awning type windows consist of a plurality of sashes hung one above the other to form a closure for a window frame and mounted to swin outwardly. Often the frame is so large that some of the sashes are inaccessible for manual manipulation to swing them to and from their open and closed positions, and it has been customary to connect the sashes together for manipulation and control by one of them, which farther in. an open direction or swing them to is in most cases the lower sash. One type of mechanism employed for this purpose is disclosed, for example, in Reissue Patent No. 20,878 for Awning type window, issued to me on October 4, 1938. In the window disclosed in said patcut, as well as in most windows of this kind, the hardware by means of which the sashesare connected together for simultaneously swinging movement and for control by one sash is made for installation with the sashes when they-are originally installed and requires a special design of frame and jamb members.

The present invention is concerned with window sash control mechanism which is designed for application to windows already installed so that they may be converted from the manually operated type to the automatically operated type.

It is, therefore, the object of the present invention to provide automatic control mechanism for awning type windows, which may readily be installed on conventionally hung awning type windows. It is a further object of the invention to provide in sash control mechanism of the character described an improved 'clutch structure to form a detachable connection between the control sash and the travel bar by means of which the sashes are connected for simultaneous operation.

Through the mechanism of the present invention, which is hereinafter described in detail, any number of sashes in a single frame may be swung to and from their open and closed positions by means of one sash which becomes the control sash, and the control sash may be manipulated to swing all the sashes to an open position and thereafter closed, leaving all but the control sash in the open position. The control sash may thereafter again be opened whereupon it will re-establish its controlling connection so that it may be employed to swing the other sashes either their'clo'sed' position.

One form which the invention may assume is exemplifled'in the accompanying drawings to which detailed reference is made in the following specification, wherein further objects and advantages of the invention are made apparent. In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse section through an awning type window showing the application of the control mechanism of the present invention thereto, and illustrating the sashes in their closed position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the sashes in an open position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the control illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 are enlarged front elevations with portions broken away and portions shown in section of the clutch employed in the control mechanism of the present invention, the several views illustrating the different positions occupied bydthe parts of the clutch during its operation, an

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the same clutch mechanism.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings as applied to a three sash awning type window, in which the three sashes, as shown at III, are mounted for outward swinging movement in a frame which comprises a headmember II, a sill l2, and jambs, one of which is indicated at II. The sashes i0, may be mounted to swing outwardly as illustrated in Fig. 2 by any suitablev mechanism conventionally employed for mounting the sashes in awning type windows. One such mechanism for example is illustrated in connection with the bottom sash in Fig. 2, which is shown as havinga sash plate l4 secured to the outer edge of its stile and terminating at its upper end in an offset arm l5 which projects inwardly from the sash. A link I6 is pivotally connected to the sash plate and pivotally connected, as at ll, to a fitting on the'window jamb. A guideway or track I8 is secured to the jamb, and consists of a flat bar having its edges flanged inwardly to retain a shoe IQ for vertical sliding movement. The end of the arm I5 is pivoted to this shoe, and upon swinging movement of the sash the shoe slides in the track. It is to be understood that the sash mounting structure just defined is duplicated on both sides of each sash, though it is illustrated but once in the drawings, so as not to confuse the illustration of the sash control mechanism to which the present invention pertains. The three sashes l are connected to swing together by a travel bar 20, and the connection between each of the sashes and. the travel bar includes a bracket 2|, screwed to the upper rail of the sash, and having a pivotal.

connection with the travel bar. This pivotal connection in the case of the two upper sashes includes a fitting 22 (see Fig. 3), which is pivoted as by a pin 23 to the bracket 2|, and which embraces the travel bar which is secured against sliding movement through the fitting by means of a set screw. The connection of the bottom sash, which is in this case the control sash, with the travel bar includes a clutch which enables te bottom sash to be connected to or disconnected from the travel bar, subject to the will of the operator.

The manner in which the sashes are manipulated by this clutchis illustrated in'Figs. 4 to 8 inclusive. The clutch is carried in part by a fitting 25 similar to but larger than the fitting 22, and pivoted in the same manner to the bracket of the lower sash by a pivot pin which extends through a perforation 26 provided therefore as shown in Fig. 6. The travel bar 20 slides freely through the fitting to permit independent movement of the lower sash, or may be clutched to the fitting to compel the sashes to move simultaneously through the medium of a latch lever 21, which is pivoted to the member 25 and a member 28 secured to the lower end of the travel bar. jaw for the reception of the lower end of the latch lever. The latch lever is pivoted on a pin 29, which extends between spaced brackets 30 on the fitting 25, and a spring 3|, wound around the pin 29, engages between the fitting 25 and the upper end of the latch lever as illustrated in Fig. 6 to urge its lower end into engagement with the open jaw on the member 28. A pair of dogs 32' and 33 are pivoted on pins 34 and 35 respectively for limited swinging movement in an opening 36 (see Fig. 8) formed in' the member 28. The dogs 32 and 33 are arranged side by side and are so shaped that the pivot pin of each serves as a stop member to limit the swinging movement of the other, and these dogs project from the member 28, and engage the lower end of the latch lever 21 as it passes over the open jaw in the member 28 to control the position of the latch member with relation to the jaw. Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive illustrate the relative positions of the latch lever 21 and the member 28 during the successive steps of automatic operation of the windows.

As the latch member 21 is carried indirectly by the bracket 2| on the bottom sash it moves downwardly when the sash is swung to its open position. In Fig. 4 which shows the normal posi tion of the members before opening the bottom sash the lowerend of the latch lever 21 is in the open jaw of the member 28 and engaged with the lower shoulder 40 thereof. Consequently when the bottom sash is swung outwardly the latch member 21, through this engagement, pulls the travel bar 20 downwardly to swing the other sashes outwardly with the bottom sash.

If it is desired to close the bottom sash leaving the upper sashes open, it is swung inwardly and consequently raises the fitting 25 which slides along the travel bar 20. During this movement the latch lever 21 normally tends to engage with the upper shoulder 4| of the open jaw, but in order that the bottom sash may be closed independently of the other sashes the dog 32 which The member 28 has an open 7 normally rests in the position illustrated in Fig, 4, swings with the latch member to the position illustrated in Fig. 5, and carries it out of the jaw. The dog 33 is at the same time swung upwardly to the position illustrated in Fig. 5, so that it does not obstruct this movement of the latch lever. When the end of the latch lever has cleared the edge of the shoulder 4| the fitting 25 is free to slide upwardly on the travel bar 30, and the bottom sash may be brought to its closed position independently of the other sashes.

Upon the next opening movement of the bottom sash, if it is opened to the same or a greater angle than the other sashes, the latch lever 21 rides over the exposed surface of the dog 33, which has again gravitated to its normal position as illustrated in Fig. 6, and instead of falling into the open jaw of the member 28, is carried beyond the jaw to come to rest in the position illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 6, in which position the fitting 25 has come to the bottom of the travel bar and rests against the upper end of the member 28, occupying the position illustrated, also shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6. A shoulder is provided at the juncture of the travel bar and the member 26, due to the fact that the upper end of the member is square in cross section, while the travel bar is round. Thus the fitting 25 engages the projecting corners or shoulder of the. member 28, so that any further opening movement of the lower sash, beyond the angle in which the upper sashes have been left, pulls the travel bar down and causes the upper sashes again to move outwardly with the lower sash. At the termination of this outward movement the lower end of the latch lever 2'! is in the dotted line position of Fig. 6, from which position it will upon its next upward movement fall into the jaw rather than be carried out of the jaw as was the case in Fig. 5. Upon falling into the jaw it will engage beneath dog 33, but above the lower end of the dog 32, so that it will find its way into engagement with the shoulder 4|, as illustrated in Fig. 7. The dog 33 swings upwardly about its pivot until it presents an edge fiush with the shoulder as shown, This engagement of the latch lever 21 causes the travel bar 20 to move upwardly upon upward movement of the fitting 2 5, which accompanies closing of the lower sash, and therefore eflects simultaneous closing of all the sashes connected with the travel bar. Now, with the sashes closed the next opening movement of the bottom sash will again move the latch member 21 into the position of Fig. 4.

The cycle of the operations just described is completed automatically upon opening and closing movements of the lower sash, so that it may be manipulated to leave the upper sashes at any desired open angle, while the bottom sash is either open or closed. The operation above described takes place automatically and in rapid succession on swinging movement of the bottom sash, and while the relatively small pivoted dogs 32 and 33 perform their function in establishing the proper relative positions of the clutch members, they do not enter into the clutching engagement, so that all of the force applied in opening and closing the sashes is directed through the latch lever 27, and shoulders 40 and 4| on the member 28, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 26. The mechanism may therefore be extremely light in construction yet positive in its operation and sufiiciently durable for the heavy duty to which it may be subjected in swinging a number of sashes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A clutch for connecting a window sash with a travel bar connected to adjacent sashes to be opened and closed thereby comprising, an open jaw carried by the travel bar, a latch movable past said jaw upon opening and closing movement of said sash, and normally engaging the jaw for downward movement, and two dog members pivoted adjacent the jaw, the first of said dog members engaging the latch to swing it out of the jaw upon its first upward movement, and the other dog member causing the latch to enter the jaw in a position where it will not be effected by the first latch upon its next upward movement.

2. A clutch for connecting a Window sash with a travel bar connected to adjacent sashes to be opened and closed thereby comprising, an open jaw carried by the travel bar, a latch movable past said jaw upon opening and closing movement of said sash, and normally engaging the jaw for downward movement, a dog member pivoted adjacent the jaw and engaging the latch to a, travel bar connected to adjacent sashes to be opened and closed thereby comprising, an open jaw carried by the travel bar, a latch movable past said jaw upon opening and closing movement of said sash, and normally engaging the jaw for downward movement, and dog members pivoted adjacent the jaw and engaging the latch to swing it out of the jaw upon its first upward movement, to cause it to pass the jaw upon its next downward movement and to permit it to enter the jaw upon its next upward movement, said dogs being mounted on adjacent pivot pins and the pivotal movement of each being limited by engagement with the pivot pin of the other.

ESMOND F. WILEY. 

